At Death's Door
by animallover0109
Summary: Bella has a new illness, one without a cure. Not even vampire venom can get rid of the disease. In Bella's final hours, she must convince Edward that there is life after death and that death is not eternal. Can she convince him not to follow her? R&R!
1. Chapter 1

AN: Hey everybody! This is the winner of my first poll. I'm sorry it has taken so long for me to write this, but I've been having computer problems and once that was fixed I had a ton of homework. Finally though, ITS SPRING BREAK!! YAY!! Anyways, I'll shut up and type. 

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the idea. 

**At Death's Door**

_Bella POV_

"See you tomorrow Edward!" I called out as Edward and Alice drove away in his Volvo. They needed to go hunting, so I was on my own this weekend. I just had to hope that trouble wouldn't find me. I glanced over at the clock and saw that it was 5 o'clock. It was about time for me to start making dinner. I decided that spaghetti would have to do for now. Just as I finished making them, Charlie walked in the door. 

"Hey Bells. What's for dinner?" He asked.

"Spaghetti."

"Sounds good." After we finished eating, I excused myself and went upstairs. After taking a shower and getting ready for bed, I pulled out my much abused copy of Wuthering Heights and lay down to read it. 

The next thing I knew, rain was taping on my window. I bolted upright and immediately regretted it. My head swam, causing me to fall back onto my pillows. The back of my throat hurt. I must be getting a cold, I finally decided. This time I sat up more slowly, and the dizziness did not reappear. 

When I walked downstairs, I saw a note on the table from Charlie.

_-Bells,_

_Going fishing with Billy. Won't be back until 8 or so. _

_Charlie-_

Well at least Charlie wouldn't freak out that I was getting sick. Now I just had to find something to do all day. I made some toast for breakfast before going upstairs and getting dressed. I did my best to ignore the splitting headache that started up. Looking around my messy room, I decided I should clean it while I had nothing else to do. 

But as I bent over to pick up some of the dirty laundry from my laundry bin, I blacked out. 

When I once again gained consciousness, my room was completely dark. My head ached worse than before, and my stomach hurt like hell. What was wrong with me? Maybe it was just the flu… I got up and made my way slowly to the bathroom after seeing that it was 7 o'clock. 

I took my time in the shower, ignoring my sore muscles and stuffy head. Once I finished with my shower, I threw on my usual pajamas and took some medicine for my stuffy head. When I went downstairs to get food, nothing looked appetizing. Not even the leftover tamales that I loved. I returned upstairs, pretty sure that I wouldn't be able to hold anything down. 

I lay back down on my bed. If I was asleep when Charlie got home, he wouldn't be able to ask me what was wrong. As soon as my head touched the pillow, I was asleep. 

When I woke up in the morning, I was covered in a cold sweat. I felt even worse than I had the day before. My head still hurt, my muscles were sore for no reason, my stomach was uneasy, and it felt like I was lying in a giant oven. But my window was open a crack, so I knew that the room was not as warm as it felt to me. I tossed my blankets off to the side and slowly got up. My head felt like it weighed a hundred pounds. 

I made my way slowly down the stairs, clutching the rail that ran along the wall like it was my lifeline. Every step caused pain to shoot up my spine, but I couldn't let Charlie see just how bad my flu was. I couldn't let him take me to the doctor, because that would cause unnecessary worry. As I touched the kitchen floor, Charlie looked up from his newspaper. 

"Hey Bells." He must have then noticed my flushed face. "Are you okay?"

Just what I needed… not! "Yeah dad I'm fine. I'm just a little under the weather." 

"Go back to bed," he demanded. "You wouldn't want to make it worse. I'll bring you up some breakfast." I opened my mouth to argue, but I knew it would be pointless. So instead I turned and made my way slowly up the stairs. I pulled only the light sheet over me as I lay in bed. The comforter remained hanging off the bed, half on the floor. 

As I put my head on the pillow, I allowed myself to relax. I would be better by tomorrow. And if not, then Edward would know what to do. Just as I imagined Edward's face, I fell back asleep.

I woke up only once that day. When I did, I found a bowl of chicken noodle soup on the end table next to me. I couldn't force myself to eat it, I just wasn't hungry. Soon after I spotted the soup, I fell asleep once again. 

When I woke up Monday morning, I was disoriented. Then all at once my weekend came back to mind. I bolted upright but was once again overcome with dizziness. I fell back onto my pillow. But in the split 

second that I had been upright, I had spotted my Greek god sitting in the rocking chair. He was next to me in an instant.

"Bella, are you alright?" He asked me, the worry obvious in his voice. 

"Yeah," I replied. "I'm fine. It's just the flu," I comforted him when the worry didn't leave his face. I went to get up again, but Edward's hand held me down. "Edward let me get up." I ignored the fact that the room was spinning and my head felt like it was about to split open. 

He merely shook his head before picking me up. "I'm not taking any chances Bella. I'm taking you to see Carlisle."

"No Edward! I'm fine, really. There isn't anything to worry about." He didn't believe me, obviously knowing that I was lying through me teeth. He wrapped a light blanket around me before running out my back door with me still in his arms. I closed my eyes and buried my head in his chest as he took off at vampire speed. Soon after, I heard a door being open, and the cold wind that had been hitting my cheeks stopped. 

Only then did I allow my eyes to open. I was in Carlisle's study, lying on his white leather couch. Edward was sitting on the floor by the head of the couch. Carlisle walked slowly over to me. "Hello Bella. How are you?" He was in doctor mode, great…

I remained silent, but then Jasper popped into the room. "Don't even attempt to lie Bella. The truth will be told anyways." I sighed.

"Not great. The room is spinning, I have a huge headache, my stomach hurts, and I overall feel like crap." Carlisle checked me over quickly before looking at me, thoroughly puzzled. 

"I haven't heard of anything going around. And this doesn't seem like just the flu. How long have you been sick?"

"Since Saturday," I replied guiltily.

"When was the last time you ate?"

"Saturday morning. Before you ask any more questions, I'll just tell you everything. On Saturday I was dizzy and my throat hurt. Then later I passed out." I could see Edward tense, so I continued. "I woke back up around 7 and I couldn't eat anything because my stomach hurt and I had a headache. I went back to bed before Charlie got home so he wouldn't have to worry about me. Sunday I felt even worse and everything hurt when I moved. Charlie sent me back to bed. I only woke up once between then and just now when I woke up this morning."

"Bella why didn't you tell anyone? Or call me? I would have come back." Edward said, slightly hurt. 

"I thought it was nothing and that it would be gone by today. And I know that you would have come back. That's exactly why I didn't call you. You needed to hunt, and you would have put me before yourself."

"You still could have called Carlisle."

"I didn't want to bother him," I replied softly.

"Well," Carlisle said, ending my argument with Edward. "I can't figure out what's wrong with you. I think it would be best if I could check you over in the hospital. "I reluctantly agreed as Edward picked me up and carried me outside to Carlisle's black Mercedes. He slid into the back with me in his lap while Carlisle got into the driver's seat. 

I must have fallen asleep again while we were in the car. The next thing I knew, I was lying on a white bed in a white room. Great, I was still in the hospital. Did this mean that they had found something wrong with me? Or just that they had decided to wait to do any tests while I was asleep? Edward's face came into my view. 

"Hey Edward," I yawned. Then I noticed the worry etched on his face. "Edward, what's wrong? What happened?" I reached my right hand out to touch him, but felt a tugging on my arm. I looked down to fine and IV line stuck in my arm. "Edward," I said, frantic. "Why am I hooked up to an IV??" 

Just then Carlisle walked in. His face was drawn and weary. "Carlisle?" He looked over at me.

"Bella, you're awake. How do you feel?" There was no hope showing in his eyes, as if he already knew my answer. 

"The same as yesterday." I replied. Carlisle and Edward shared a glance. Edward shook his head before they both turned back to me. 

"Bella," Carlisle said, "You don't just have a normal flu. In fact, nobody is sure what exactly you have. There… there just is no cure. The disease you have doesn't even exist." 

I just stared at him blankly. This wasn't possible this couldn't be happening. But then Charlie walked in. His face too was drawn and pinched, his eyes lifeless. As he met my eyes, he perked up, trying not to show me how he was really feeling. "Hey Bells," he said with a fake cheerfulness. "How are you feeling?" There was a small sliver of hope in his voice. 

"Not great," I responded and watched as his face fall. He turned then to Carlisle hopelessly. 

"So is there only one option left?" Carlisle nodded. 

"What option?" I asked. "What is going on?! Why won't any of you tell me anything?" 

Charlie was the first to speak. "The Cullen's told me everything, including what we are. The… the only way to save you is to change you into a vampire." His voice came out strangled on the last word. "But only if it's what you want Bella. They won't do anything against your will."

I stared blankly at him. "What are you talking about? It's not like I'm going to die!" They all glanced at me. Everything then sunk in. I WAS going to die. There was no cure. "NO!!" I screamed. "I can't die! There isn't anything wrong with me! There can't be!" I broke down, and sobbed into Edward's waiting arms. "Change me," I pleaded. "Don't let me die." 

Edward mumbled words of comfort into my ear. The words meant nothing. But then I felt the random wires and the IV line being taken out. I looked up into Carlisle's sad eyes. "We'll change you Bella; I just wish it hadn't come to this." I relaxed slightly, but still remained rigid. Edward picked me up and carried me slowly through the hospital to Carlisle's waiting Mercedes. 

As we walked through the hospital, I saw the pity on everyone's face. I could see the sadness in their eyes. I buried my head in Edward's chest as he took me home. I once again fell asleep in the car. 

When I woke up, I was surrounded by the Cullen's, Charlie, Renee, and Phil. "What's going on?" I could feel that I was weaker than ever before. There were tears in everyone's eyes. The only difference was that the Cullens' tears would never be shed. 

"It… it didn't work Bella." I could only stare blankly at the faces around me. "No…" I said softly. "It had to have worked! It has to have worked!" I saw the new crescent shape on my other had. I tried to sit up, but was once again held down by Edward. I broke down sobbing, and wasn't aware that everyone but Edward left the room. 

By the time my tears had quieted, I knew what I had to do. "Edward, you have to promise me something."

He looked at me despairingly. "What do you want me to promise?"

"That you will live life to its fullest, and that you won't try to kill yourself. Promise me that you will stay on this Earth."

"No," he said, a new fire blazing in his eyes. "I can't live in a world that doesn't have you in it."

"Yes you can Edward, and you will. I know that there is a life after death. I know that I will come back to this world. I just don't know when. But if you leave this world, I may never be able to find you again. Promise me that you will stay on this Earth Edward."

"No," he replied, resilient. 

"Edward, this is the only thing that I want. Promise me."

"No. Can't you see Bella! There is no world without you in it. Everything is meaningless!" 

"Edward, why can't you promise me this one thing?! I know that we will meet again. There is a life after death!" I could feel my life slowly slipping away, but I grasped it. I couldn't die before he promised. "Please Edward, my time is almost up." Everybody else filtered back into the room. "Please?" I pleaded my voice weaker.

I was barely hanging on now, my life hanging only on a thread. "Okay Bella, I promise." He touched his lips softly to mine for the last time. 

"Goodbye everyone. We will meet again someday," I said softly. And then I dropped the last thread and slipped away from the world. I had known that there was a life after death, and that I would someday return to the Earth. I just had to be patient. One day I would see Edward again. 

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AN: So that is the end of At Death's Door. If you guys want, there will be a sequel. Please review and tell me what you think! PLEZ?? 


	2. SEQUEL INFO

**IMPORTANT!!**

The sequel to At Death's Door is now out. The title of it is Last Chance. The title is likely to change if i can come up with a better title. Plez go read and enjoy!

animallover0109


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